Sri Lanka in England 2011

[Themer]

Secondly if you care so little for T20, i presume deep down you dont think having a T20 world-cup makes sense either. Since surely you must agree it not smart cricket sense to have a world tournament for a format of cricket every two years, when in essence the majority of teams in between world cups, dont play enough T20s to build proper team chemistry, tactics etc. As they do in 50 overs WCs?.

The only reason I'd be/am bothered about the twenty20 World Cup is if England were doing well.

I'd prefer it if we didn't have one, yes.

 

[Dravid_Fan]

Does anyone have the video of Steven Finn making a sandwich in the dugout in yesterday's game?

 

[angryangy]

Heh. What a hero.

 

[cricket_icon]

Goodbye to Sanath, one of my all time favourites. Anderson proved that he can still offer something in ODIs if the conditions suit him. Wasn't so impressed by the other bowlers on show but good to see Morgan is still as inventive and explosive as ever.

 

[Owzat]

The prestige will build overtime. After we still very much in the infant stages of T20 cricket international, just as the case was with ODIs in the late 70s & early 80s.

Or T20 may have hit its peak of interest. The IPL and other T20 competitions may have a completely undesired effect which is saturation and a consequent lack of interest at international level.

I'm not sure you can really compare now with the 70s and 80s, were Test sides playing 12 Tests (or whatever it is) a year, umpteen ODIs and 40-50 games at the World Cup? We are already at cricket overload/overkill, supposedly in a recession and T20 has already been here 6+ years hasn't it? It isn't entirely original either, you can argue it has its place but Tests and ODIs aren't falling by the wayside as many predicted it would and while T20 might not be to cricket what betamax was to videos, it will probably be the mac of computers.

 

[angryangy]

Beta was an arguably superior format that simply didn't have commercial viability without the support of the porn industry.

Also Apple is one of largest companies in the world at the moment and it seems even Microsoft would be more likely to shrivel up and die.

 

[Owzat]

Also Apple is one of largest companies in the world at the moment and it seems even Microsoft would be more likely to shrivel up and die.

I doubt it, just like I doubted T20 would make longer versions obsolete. They may exist in the background and in harmony with other versions, but the key battle has been lost and, in the case of mac, lost too long ago for people to now change radically. It is also oversold on people as TV and grounds try to cash in.

Bigger threat to Test matches is the stupidity/greed of organisers. Did I hear Cardiff won't get a Test match because they can't pay for the last one?

BBC Sport - Glamorgan stripped of England v West Indies Test match

Ridiculous set up, should be split of the profits not bid to host. But then the ECB know their system is risk free FOR THEM and the counties are so desparate to make money they see Test matches as the holy grail. As much as some might love T20, there is not nearly the money making opportunity in it for starters - five days, 90 overs a day with scope to make lost time up vs one day, max 40 overs with every effort to complete the match and tickets having to represent reasonable value. 450 overs max vs 40 overs max is a no brainer, even if you fit in three matches in the same time it would be cost ineffective, not as profitable and saturation would be reached pretty quickly. I caught little bits of IPL, talking maybe 15 mins every now and then, and it might as well just have been one long match with sides just batting 1st innings, 2nd innings, 3rd innings, 4th innings.......................... counting the sixes did not make it seem any less overkill

 

[Owzat]

95/2 and I'm the first to comment Cook had better hope for better or his decision to bowl will be early evidence to question his appointment.

 

[Ayub 95]

95/2 and I'm the first to comment Cook had better hope for better or his decision to bowl will be early evidence to question his appointment.

To be fair to Cook, it was a cloudy day and when he has probably the best swing bowler in cricket today, he thought lets see what Sri Lanka will do against Jimmy.

Anyway fantastic innings by Jayawardena to get his 100. Dictated the tempo of the game superbly so far.

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SWANNY!!!! Swann is so awesome

 

[Paki007]

Lo! could be a costly Drop

 

[Ollie_H]

To be fair to Cook, it was a cloudy day and when he has probably the best swing bowler in cricket today, he thought lets see what Sri Lanka will do against Jimmy.

I know England play a lot of South African's but didn't realise we had recently acquired Dale Steyn.

 

[Ayub 95]

I know England play a lot of South African's but didn't realise we had recently acquired against Dale Steyn.

Between Anderson and Steyn, in terms of swing bowling they are probably equal but Steyn has that extra pace which gives him late swing which makes him devastating.

 

[Paki007]

I would put Anderson Ahead of Steyn specially in English contidions.Anderson Bowls a better line and Length and He has got more variety than Steyn.

 

[Ollie_H]

I'd put Zaheer Khan ahead of Anderson.

 

[Ayub 95]

Not the best days for England's bowlers. Cook must be regretting bowling first on a albeit cloudy morning. Dernbach is going at 7 rpo. Anderson has escaped punishment with his last 3 overs going for around 21 runs IIRC. England must limit Sri Lanka under 300 and someone must put their hand up when batting, preferably Cook.